Student proposals for the new Kiruna

A group of students from the Master Programme in Architectural Engineering at Luleå University of Technology has developed improvement proposals for the new Kiruna. The proposal is based on the plan developed by the local authority in Kiruna in collaboration with an architectural firm.

"We have moved the church from the cemetery to a more centrally located hill. The church’s location connects to its original location with a good view of the town. With an artificial hill covered with birches it will remain a significant landmark in the new town, being visible from the new E10 road. From the church you also get a nice view of the town and surrounding landscape, rather than a burial ground", says Anton Magnusson, student.

The work was presented in four posters which analysed the town from historical, architectural, economic and cultural dimensions. Then the existing plan was developed, and improvements made.

"We have given the town a more organic structure, allowing the main streets and buildings to follow the character of the landscape", says Robin Montezo, student.

The work on the urban transformation of Kiruna is already on-going. Currently, ten central blocks are being built; the first during the summer period 2017, the remaining in the summer 2018.

The improvement proposals for Kiruna was created in the course Urban morphology led by Jennie Sjöholm, lecturer at Luleå University of Technology.